Veteran Canadian soccer player David Edgar to retire at end of year

Veteran soccer defender David Edgar, who became a Newcastle United favourite with a highlight-reel goal as a teenager and went on to captain Canada's team internationally, has announced his retirement effective the end of the year.

The 33-year-old from Kitchener, Ont., is currently with Canadian Premier League champion Forge FC in the Dominican Republic for Tuesday's Scotiabank CONCACAF League quarterfinal against Haiti's Arcahaie FC in Santo Domingo.

If Forge wins Tuesday the team gains automatic entry into the 2021 CONCACAF Champions League. If they lose, there would be one more match to determine eligibility for the 2021 league. 

5 time international captain 

The six-foot-three centre back won 42 caps for Canada, making his senior debut in February 2011 against Greece, and captained his country five times. His last appearance was in a friendly against New Zealand in Spain in March 2018.

At the club level, Edgar left Canada at 14 to join Newcastle's academy. The seventh Canadian to feature in the Premier League, he made his debut in England's top tier on Dec. 26, 2006, against Bolton. He turned heads for the senior side at the age of 19 with a long-range rocket in a 2-2 tie with Manchester United on Jan. 1, 2007.

Edgar went on to make more than 100 appearances for Burnley, also playing for Birmingham City in England with loan spells at Swansea, Huddersfield Town and Sheffield United. He returned to North America in 2016 to play for the Vancouver Whitecaps, Nashville SC and Ottawa Fury.